New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-05-01
PEOPLE WHO EAT Arsenic
DIR. HAMMOND NEVER SAW THEM.

Once in while some new brand of patent medicine
raises its head and quacks vocerously that il at
tracts unusually large crowd Of fools and dupes and
leaves their purses emnty their heads. just
n pretty big ghost in the shape Of arsenic waters is
stalking around taking up n collection and frghten-
ing who have heard that such things deadly
poison YOU know" 1t has brought out the usual pale
crop Of stories about arsenic eaters we'll the be-
ie that rats are the only abandoned creatures given
to that debased habit.
The Board of Health has received several letters
from people who complain the sale of arsenic
waters to unwary young women, who want to
beautitY their compilations. One mother in Harlem
wrote that her daughters had been using the waters
without her knowledge, and she teared that II the
waters contained as much arsenic the maker
claimed they must be strongly impregnated with
poison. She also raised the point that il the waters
contained no poison the manufacturer an i'm
poster DIR. Cyrus Edison analysed the articles and
found but slight of the poison in them. The
principal danger from the waters. IL ia said, is that
those who use them think that it is aot dangerous to
cat arsenic and thus tempted to try cheap sou
ton of the poison Death is likely to result from the
slightest overdose.
DR. William A. Hammond talked freely the other day
about arsenic lie regarded arsenic eaters in the
light a. cocaine eatersthi is he had yet to one
1T is not a habit in this country" said Dr. Ham
mond though arsenic IL often prescribed. We often
have TO use largo quantities OF bromides for curing
epilepsy other troubles OF tie nervous system and
one effect produce pimples, especially on the face
Arsenic il used ooajointy with tho bromides TO pre-
vent these puppies and also TO cure them. But
would no moro think OF allowing women to use arsenic
NJ their own sweet will than cocaine any other
active agent Arsenic is useful in depraved states OF
the system, slch as produced from malaria, and
physicians constantly prescribe 1t in these cases
have never known heard OF case ia which it was
taken to produce exharating effects such as opium
oauses any more than have heard OF cocaine used
for such purposes.
q Arsenic is poisonous In small Doses and conse-
auently differs from cocaine. In medicine it is gen
erally used as arsenous acid. Two and half grains
killed a healthy robust girl OF nineteen years in
thrty-s, hours. Under circumst ances favorable TO
the poison from two 20 three grains will Kill an adult
The oses used in medicine vary from one htteth to
onetwenteth OF grain; These arsenic waters con
tain much less than that, and consequently have no
effect They, therefore are fraud, and the man who
makes them ought to be arrested
@The Syrian peasants use arsenic the men to i'm
prove their wind so that they can climb mountains
more easily, and the romen to Improve their com
In one day They begin by taking extremely small
doses Arsenic has effect on horse. In one in
stance O horse took $50 grains without any result
Another doctor said that it was impossible to est-
mate the number OF arsenic eaters 10 this CITY, because
they a class that docs not often come under phy-
sjcja,s 6n.aryation. Yet" said be the number is
large though ySs cant say that IT Is growing me
Opucn Of h ok whereas KEY the s%p
seem 70 a. cir nronorop That is about the case
with tho arsenic eaters they are keeping up lIelr
proportion TO the other idiots Some actors low
class OF women and even some members OF the best
society cat arsenic or use 1t In some FORM 10 proNe
heir oomplexons. 1t gives them certain pallor that
they consider desirable Lney pesin W anSt and
then when they think 1t is time TO leave on tIey
gradually lessen the doseor rather they try W Ior
The habit once formed Is extremely difficult 10
abandon. Those who take arsenic say that it has
pleasant effect. though not like opium, morphine OF
hashsh and the systems demands Ior ~ are not so
imperatiye as if the OF either OF these drugs l
There was Dr. Grant, the bigamist, who died the |
other day in prison because his supply OF morphine
was cut off, | have seen arsenic epters s9u. up IL
nrison who did not complain as bitterly rs the NOR
pbine or opum users would have done apder tDe san
Giro ans stances"
The reporter visited number OF East Side drug |
stores and talked with the proprietors about their
Inv 6fteen shOp said that his arsenic customers were
not confined to class OF society; they emoraceu
people in all walks of life, though almost all were
women. awe don't want to sell it, said he, and |
wont sell without prescript on, but they VIII have
IT, Just now there Is demand TOR these waters ana
we have to put them on the counter lnere IS NOT
enouoh arsenic In them TO hurt any body, but people
AK Tor them and II you don't have them they say
'Oh. we'll we can get them at another store. we
have PERHAPS twenty customers here every week w1o
improve their compilations, but once acquired the
habit is hard TO break oil.
sWe don't sell II without o prescription and the
lodges that OF these people play make me cary,
Thers h one fashionable woman who drives down here
once in 3 while for the stuB and always has some
new excuse to offer TOR asking tor it. have tS ask her
then record all IN my poisOn book as for instspcs
a'Mrs. Brick Dust-arsenic--teD grains-use, rats
arsenic for rate the next time she wants it to mix
with another medicine and the third time for another
purpose altogether bat never for herself she makes
me mink OF the old woman in Punch who said to the
driver of her coach coming to an inn;
"'Driyer, q glass OF water please Tho driver
started of. Decentralization,
asYes num- answered the coachman.
.sAh driver, Bit of lemon in 1t, and then, very
Saw rum-punch, num- yelled the driver, and
So would like to say Eat tho arsenic Tor your,
self mum. ~ and the druggist absentmindedly drank
q glass OF his own soda water
Other druggists were visited who said that they had
their regular customers among arsenic eaters though
they could not tell whether the habit was spreaaing
One druggist mentioned the arsenic eateis OF Styre'
marks Who are miners, and set Of eaters In Ken